Las Vegas
by emilocodo
Summary: Set after the events of NFA. After being rescued by Connor, Eve makes a new start in Las Vegas. However, fate leads her to someone she never expected to see again. Please R&R! CHAPTER TWO UP.
1. Someone I Knew

**A/N: **After watching NFA, I always thought, what happened to Lorne? So I decided to write a fic about it:) Next chapter should be up soonish.

The lights were everywhere, flashing, blinding. They advertised eminent casinos and seedy bars alike. Eve considered the lights of Las Vegas. They didn't judge or belittle, they were simply there. _"I wish people were like that," _she thought. Of course, for most of her life, Eve had never been judged or belittled. She had grown up in a good family, in a good house, in a respectable neighbourhood. Then, in a twist of fate, she had taken a job at a law firm. They offered to make her immortal, powerful. How could she say no? No one could refuse that kind of proposition. But during her time at Wolfram and Hart, she had been reviled and distrusted by everybody, even the gentle-hearted Fred. Everyone except Lindsay. But Lindsay was dead, she'd seen his body with her own eyes. He'd been shot twice in the chest. _"If I ever find out who killed him," _she thought, _"they're dead."_

After Angel had left her alone in that Wolfram and Hart boardroom, Eve had resigned herself to death. She hadn't counted on being rescued by Angel's son, of all people. Connor had spirited her out of building, and told her to run, as far away as possible. So she came to Las Vegas.

Eve sighed, and looked out the window of her taxi. The traffic had slowed to a crawl, so she was able to get a better look around than she may normally have. Her eyes were drawn to a large billboard, plastered with a picture of a face she knew well from her nightmares. She stared at it for a moment, before the information penetrated her brain.

"Lorne?" Eve choked.

"Did ya say somethin' missy?" the stout cabbie drawled.

"No," Eve replied softly. "I just…I saw someone I knew."

* * *

Lorne retreated behind the red velvet curtains, wiping sweat off his face with a sleeve. _"That was a tough crowd," _he thought. He glanced in a nearby mirror, and noticed that there was a small, yet ugly looking bruise gracing his temple. _"Nothing to compare to what I'd be looking like if I'd stuck around," _he thought as he examined it. The mere thought caused a wave of guilt to assail him. As much as Lorne was glad he had left before the slaughter began, remorse still beat down on him like a wooden cudgel.

"Are you OK, Mr Lorne?" asked a fawning attendant.

"Yeah, I've just gotta be a little more careful with this magical green mug," Lorne replied with his customary grin. The mask he wore. Ever since he had abandoned Angel on the eve of the apocalyptic battle, he had changed. He was no longer the cheerful, happy Wolfram and Hart Head of Entertainment. The green demon stopped outside his dressing room door.

"Is there anything I can get you? Water, coffee…human blood? We have a lovely A positive," the assistant enquired. Lorne simply sighed, and retreated inside his dressing-room sanctuary. He knew someone was there the instant the door clicked.

"Angel, sugar, I told you not to try and find me." Lorne turned, expecting to see the dark, brooding vampire with a soul. Instead, he saw the one person in the world he least expected to see.


	2. Candy and Flowers

"Eve?" Lorne choked. "What in my sweet mother's name are you doing here? I thought you were dead."

"And I heard you wimped out," Eve replied with a smirk.

Lorne hung his head in shame. He couldn't try to deny it to himself anymore. He had been weak and afraid, and he had left his friends to die. He looked up suddenly at Eve.

"Do you know…are they…is Angel-"

"Still alive? I don't know. But I do know that Lindsey is…" Eve found it difficult to say the words. Dead. Lindsey was dead. A tear threatened to escape its confines. She hadn't cried since the day Charles Gunn had tried to kill her, the day she discovered what they all really thought of her. The day she locked herself in Lindsey's bathroom and wept for hours. Eve shook her head slightly. _"Note to self, must not cry like a baby in front of green demon…"_

Lorne was startled at this revelation. Eve didn't know that he had been the one to shoot Lindsey. Of course she didn't. But if she found out…

"Ah huh, so, what brings you to Las Vegas? Fame, fortune, perhaps a contract with my record label? 'Cause I could certainly organise something for a beautiful voice like yours-"

"Shut up."

Lorne was somewhat taken aback. He laughed uncomfortably. "Uh…excuse me?"

"I know what you think of me. Don't pretend everything's candy and flowers. It's obvious you know something about Lindsey's death, and you're trying to hide it. Now tell me sweetie, or I'll choke you with your own tongue."

Eve's threats were nothing but bravado. She knew that, and she was sure that Lorne did too. But she had to try. The only thing that kept Eve going was grief and the thought of revenge.

Lorne closed his eyes, fruitlessly trying to evade his inner turmoil. Deep down, he had known it would come to this. This was the moment he dreamt about at night, tossing and turning in his bed. _"Why can't I not be weak anymore?" _he screamed silently. _"Why can't I be a man and face the music?_ Lorne bit his tongue hard, trying to mirror the pain he felt in his demon soul. _"Because you're not a man," _his traitor mind whispered. _"You're a deserter and a coward, and you can never be anything else. Besides, they couldn't still be alive. Why not?"_

He finally managed to speak. "Angel. Angel killed Lindsey." The words were so quiet they were barely a whisper, but still Eve heard them. Lorne's voice echoed inside her skull as her mind numbly processed this information. The blood slowly drained from her face, and she sank to her knees.

Her words were edged with a touch of steel. "Get out."

Lorne got out. As he closed the door behind him, he shuddered to think at what he had just done. Just another guilty, dirty deed to add to his list. _"If Angel's not already dead," _he thought, _"he soon will be."_


End file.
